Car-coupling



(No Model.)

1v1. BEBES, Jr.

CARVGOUPLING. No. 270,694. Panentd Jan.16,188s.

NA PETLRS, Plwwlinwgmphnr. wnshmglmn DA UNITED STATES PATENT GEEiCE.

MATHIAS PETERS, JR., OF CHIUAG, ILLlNOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 270,694, dated January 16, 1883.

Application filed August 23, 1882.

To all whom it may concern l to the car.

(No model.)

It consists of a substantial metal.-

Be it known that I, MATHIS PETERS, Jr., I lic draw bar or head, having the portion a, ex-

a citizen of the United States of America, re-

' siding at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertaius to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to improvements in car-couplings; and the objects are to provide an eiectiveand secure automatic coupling, which may be uncoupled from the top of the car or from the platform or from the side, and which may be released in case either car is thrown from the track.

My invention consists in a hinged drawpla'te formed with forward-projecting section cut away one-half, or nearly so, of the body of -the plate, and formed or provided with a pullprovided with a coupling-pin at its outer end' and inner face, and lifting-levers, as hereinafter set forth.

My invention also consists in the novel organization and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a car with my improvements attached. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the couplings connected. Fig. 3 is a side View showing the couplings lifted from contact. Fig. 4 is a top view. Fig. 5 is a view of the hinged draw-plate with its adjuncts. Fig. 6 is a view of the draw-head with sectional inclines, and Fig. 7 is a view showing one way of securing the pull-pin in the hinged draw-plate.

The letter A is the draw-head, to be attached tending under the car, formed with parallel surfaces, and the forward portion, designed to di rectly receive the concussion and do the drawing, is formed with the upper surface a plane 'and the under portions, b c, inclined or re-enforced, substantially as shown', the portion b extending but one-halt' the distance across the body. From the forward termination of' the part b the head is one-halt' (more or less) cut away longitudinally with the center of the draft, and transversely, as shown, having the parts a extending forward and suited to meet the counterpart in the coupling on the next car. On the upperv portion ot` the part a is formedthc sectional draw head or hook d, having inclined surface candvertical wallf, against which the draw pin or bolt of the coupling rests when in operation. The object of having this incline made in sections, with spaces between the sections, is that in case it be desired to couple a carusing the common link to a car having my improved coupling the link may be placed over the inner section, d',

and the cars connected in this Way. Ot course where all the cars are supplied with my improved coupling the draw head or hook can be made solid throughout.

rlhe letter B is thehinged draw head or plate, preferably formed with parallel top and bottom, and its exterior configurations coilforming to the form of the draw-bar, to which it is hinged at the pointy by any suit-able means. This hinged plate extends from its attachment in the draw-bar in the direction of the draw-hook far enough in connection therewith to form the chamber h, intended to receive the pull-pin of the coupling on the next car, and is also formed or provided with the side extending pull-pin i and lifting-hook, to which is attached the chain or rope extending through guiding-pulleys to the top of the car, and by which means the couplings are disconnected.

-The letter k is lifting-levers, fixed by any suitable means in the upper'surface of the draw-plates, and'provided with the arm m, extending downward and projecting across far enough so as to engage with the lifting-lever IOO vas

ofthe coupling, with which this may engage, if desired, to the side of the car, in order that when one plate is lifted the other must also be raised, and thus both pull-pins arelitted from engagement. The handles of these lifting-levers extend in the direction of the platform of the car far enough that they may be easily grasped without endangering the operator. These lifting-levers may be attached by being screwed in the plate, or by being set in the metal and held by'bolts or rivets, as shown in Fig. 5 ot' the drawings. The pull-pin is preferably made as an integral part of the drawplate; but it may be connected thereto by being let in the metal and then secured by bolts or rivets.

'lhe operation ot` my improved coupling is effected by attaching and arranging the different parts as' stated iu the foregoing description, which being accomplished, it will be observed that the coupling of the cars is effected by automatic action ot' the device. with opposing sections being brought together, the pull-pins of the couplings engage with the surface of the inclines, and are carried up the same, lifting the plates at thesame time, until the extremity o't' the incline is reached, when 'the weight of the plate causes the pin to drop behind the wall o't' the incline, and the coupling is effected. To uncouple the cars, the power may be applied either from the top vot" the car or from the platform. As may be the case, the operator grasps either the lifting-lever or the handle of the chain and litts or draws upward. When the finger of the one engages the lever of the other coupling, both are lilted highl enough to disengage the pullpiu. v l

lt will be observed that one important advantage ot' my improved coupling is that in case a car is thrown from the track the pin is immediately released without disturbing the next adjacent car.

To prevent the draw-plates from beingdrawn up too far by the operator on the top of the car, a ball or other suitable device is put on the chain below the upper guide-ring.

Two cars" It' desired, a spring may be employed to keep the top plate close down on the drawhead.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to Secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. rlhe draw-head formed on its upper surface with aplaneterminatingin an upward-projecting draw hook or head consisting of two sections having forward incline and vertical back wall, and having the forward portion cut halt1 away (more or less) longitudinally in a line with the center of' the draft, with the under portion 1re-enforced, substantially as described.

2. The hinged draw-plate formed or provided with a side-projecting pull-pin arranged to engage with the draw head or hook of a counterpart coupling, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a draw-head terminating in an upward-projecting draw hook or head having forward incline, and with a back vertical wall, a draw-plate hinged thereto, and formed or provided with a side-projecting pullpin arranged to engage with the draw head or hook ot' a counter-coupling, substantially as described.

4. A hinged draw-plate ot' a car-coupler, formed or provided with a lifting-lever having a side arm adapted to engage with the lifting-lever on the draw-plate ofthe opposite car, substantially as described.

5. A hinged draw-plate of a car-coupling, formed or provided with a lifting'lever, lc, having a side arm, m, adapted to engage with the lifting-lever on the draw-plate ot' the op` posite car, in combination with alifting means whereby the draw-plate may be raised from the top of the car, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofl affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MATHIAS PETERS, JR.

Witnesses: I

S. A. TUCKER, G. F. KEMPs'rna. 

